Flying target



(Modell) I E. 85 H. RIDGE.

FLYING TARGET. No. 303,885. Patented Aug. 19, 1884-.

INVENTOR ATTORNEY S.

N. PETERS. Pvwwmha n xm. Waxhmgten. 01c.

UNITED STATES PATENT rriciii.

ELMER RIDGE AND I-IOIVARD RIDGE, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

FLYING TARGET.

21 E CIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 303,885, dated August 19, 1884,

Application filed February 23, 1884. lModel.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that we, ELMER RIDGE and Howann RIDGE, of Frankford, city and county of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, have invented a new and lniprovcd Flying Target, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The object of our invention is to provide a new and improved flying target which is simple in construction, can be folded very compact] y, and is not apt to break by handling or by being thrown from the trap.

The invention consists in a flying target formed of aflat ring in which abulb is held which can be inflated to give the target body. The bulb is secured to the inner end of a tube passed radially through the ring, and is retained by wires or'bands of suitable material pivoted in the ring, as hereinafter described.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts'in all the figures.

Figure l is a side view of our improved target, showing it folded. Fig. 2 is side view of the same, showing it expanded for use, and Fi g. 3 is a cross-sectional elevation of the same on the line a: .r, Fig. 1. V

A tube, A, made of lead or other soft metal, is passed radially through the rim of a flat ring, 13, of pasteboard, wood, metal, or any other desired suitable material, the said tube projecting from the outer and inner edge of the ring. A thin rubber ball, 0, or abulb of paper or other airtight flexible material is secured on the inner end of the tube. Two semicircular wires or bands, D, having end pivots,l),are held at right angles to each other on the inner edge of the ring, the end pivots of the wires or hands D passing into the in nor edge of the ring, and thus permitting of swinging the wires or hands D outward from the surface of the ring, so that the planes of the wires or bands will be at right angles to the surfaces of the ring, the planes of the wires D crossing each, other when the wires or hands are swung out, as shown in Fig. Air is then forced into the bulb G through the tube A, whereby the bulb C is inflated and ex pauded, and fits closely against the wires or hands D, which form a cage, and prevent it from expanding too far and bursting. The tube A is then closed by pressing it together at the outer end to prevent the escape of air from the distended bulb. If the air is forced into the bulb from the lungs, the end of the tube A is closed by pressing it together by means of the teeth. The flying target is thrown into the air either by hand or by means of a trap. It can be seen distinctly, and floats well and flies swiftly in the air, imitating the flight of a pigeon very closely.

The targets can be packed compactly, as they can be folded to be perfectly fiat, and they can be adjusted for use very rapidly.

Having thus described our invention, we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. A flying target consisting of an inflatable bulb held within a fiat ring, substantially as herein shown and described.

2. A flying target consisting of an inflatable bulb held in a flat ring provided with swinging wires or hands for forming a cage for preventing the bulb from bursting, substantially asherein shown and described.

3. In a flying target, the combination, with a flat ring, of a tube passed through the same and of a bulb on the inner end of the tube, substantially as herein shown and described.

4. In a flying target, the combination, with a. flat ring, of the tube A, the bulb C on the inner end of the same, and the semicircular wires or hands D, having end parts, D, in the inner edge of the ring, substantially as herein shown and described.

ELMER RIDGE. II( )\YARD RIDGE.

Vitnesscs:

\VILLIAM J. Oiis'rnn, WM. 13. HILT. 

